Man Flees Traffic Stop and Flips Vehicle in St. Petersburg

A Pinellas Deputy attempted to perform a traffic stop on a 2008 white Nissan Altima early Thursday morning.  It was just after midnight on I-275 and 22nd Avenue North in St. Petersburg. The vehicle fled the attempted traffic stop and proceeded southbound on I-275.

The Deputy located the vehicle on the 5th Avenue exit ramp partially overturned and resting on its driver’s side. The occupant fled the scene of the crash and multiple other units from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and St. Petersburg Police Department arrived on scene. In addition, K-9 and air support arrived to search for the driver of the vehicle.

A description of the driver and the direction he ran was provided by a witness that observed him fleeing the scene.  19 year-old Armani Dilworth of St. Petersburg was located a few blocks east of the crash site.  The vehicle was reported stolen and Dilworth could not explain his injuries or the reason for being in the area.

Armani Dilworth was involved in a shooting on July 18, 2015 in Gulfport at about 9:35 PM. According to Gulfport Police, he accidentally shot himself in the leg, apparently while drawing the small caliber handgun from his pocket. Another subject was also shot and taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.  The parties involved in that case were known to each other and it was not an act of random violence according to police. The case was forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office.

Dilworth is now facing charges of Flee/Eluding, Grand Theft Auto, and Leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage.  He also facing charges of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree related to the case in July.